subs. (gaming).—False dice; so loaded as to show low numbers. For synonyms, see FULHAMS. Also LOW-RUNNERS.
1594. NASHE, The Unfortunate Traveller, in Wks. (GROSART, v. 27). The dice of late are growen as melancholy as a dog, high men and LOW MEN both prosper alike.
1596. SHAKESPEARE, Merry Wives of Windsor, i. 3.
| Pist. Let vultures gripe thy guts! for gourd and fullam holds, | |
| And high and LOW beguiles the rich and poor. |
1598. FLORIO, A Worlde of Wordes, Pize. False dice, high men or LOW MEN.
1605. The London Prodigal, i. 1, Supplement to Shakspeare, ii. 456. Item, To my son, Mat. Flowerdale, I bequeath two bale of false dice, videlicet, high men and LOW MEN, fulloms, stop-cater-traies, and other bones of function.
1615. HARINGTON, Epigrams, i. 79.
| Then play thou for a pound, or for a pin, | |
| High men are LOW MEN, still are foysted in. |
1647. CARTWRIGHT, The Ordinary [DODSLEY, Old Plays, x. 238].
| Your high | |
| And LOW MEN are but trifles; your pois’d dye, | |
| That’s ballasted with quicksilver or gold, | |
| Is gross to this—— |
1674. COTTON, The Compleat Gamester, p. 11. This [cheating] they do by false dice, as high-fullams, 4, 5, 6; LOW-FULLAMS, 1, 2, 3. By bristle-dice, which are fitted for that purpose, by sticking a hog’s-bristle so in the corners, or otherwise in the dice, that they shall run high or low as they please; this bristle must be strong and short, by which means the bristle bending, it will not lie on that side, but will be tript over.
1714. T. LUCAS, Memoirs of Gamesters, etc., 27. The high ones would run 4, 5, and 6; the LOW FULLUMS 1, 2, and 3.
1822. SCOTT, The Fortunes of Nigel, xxiii. Men talk of high and LOW dice.
